(2021-12-22)

Hon. Dr. Julius J. Sarwolo Nelson, Jr., President of the University of Liberia,

Hon. Dr. D. Elliott Wreh-Wilson, President and Professor of Tubman University,

Hon. Dr. Romelle A. Horton, President of Cuttington University,

Other vice presidents and senior management representatives,

representatives of award-winning students and Chinese Government Scholarship winners,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning! Welcome you all to the annual "Chinese Ambassador Scholarship" online award ceremony.

Ladies and gentlemen,

2021 is a special year for China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). In November, the Sixth Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was successfully convened and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century. Since its founding in 1921, the Party has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its mission. Over the past 100 years, under the strong leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people have won great victories in revolution, construction, reform and opening up and socialist construction with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

This year, China has completely eradicated extreme poverty and we have lifted more than 770 million rural people out of extreme poverty over the past four decades. This is a great contribution to the global efforts in poverty reduction and a demonstration of the commitment of the CPC and our government to put the people at the center and to achieve common prosperity. China has thus completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realized the first centenary dream of the nation.

Since the founding of PRC in 1949, China has successfully identified the right path of human rights development by giving priority to the realization of the right to subsistence and right to development and attaching importance to strengthening the rule of law. China emphasizes the "development of people's democracy in the whole process," as pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, also president of China, when delivering an important speech at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, 

This year, while continuing to prevent and control COVID-19 pandemic at home, China has strengthened international cooperation on fighting the pandemic and promoting Belt & Road cooperation. Last year, China provided a large number of anti-epidemic materials such as masks, PPEs, and ventilators to 150 countries and 13 international organizations. Since the beginning of this year, China has provided more than 2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. President Xi Jinping, when addressing the General Debate of the 76th UN General Assembly, put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), calling on the international community to speed up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promote a stronger, greener, and healthy global development, and build a community with a shared future for global development.

This year also marks the start of China’s implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan. China’s economic growth is expected to exceed 8% and reach 110 trillion yuan (equaling about 17 trillion US dollars). Our per capita GDP will reach 12,000 US dollars. China has embarked on a new journey of marching towards the second centenary goal to build our country into a modernized socialist country in all respects by the time when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of PRC in 2049 and realize the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

2022 will be another important year for China. Beijing will host the Winter Olympic Games in February (the background plate for today’s event is one of the posters) and it will become the only city in the world to have hosted both the summer and winter Olympic games. The 20th National Congress of the CPC will be convened in the second half of 2022 and it will be a highly important event of great political significance for both the Party and the country.

Ladies and gentlemen,

China and Africa, and China and Liberia are good friends and brothers. The 8th ministerial conference of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Senegal in late November is a milestone for our cooperation in the new era. President Xi Jinping, when addressing the opening ceremony of the Conference, emphasized that the key for an everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation forged between the two sides lies in sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness. He made four proposals for building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, which include fighting COVID-19 with solidarity, deepening practical cooperation, promoting green development and upholding equity and justice. He also announced that China will work closely with African countries to implement Nine Programs which include the medical and health program, the poverty reduction and agricultural development program, the trade promotion program, the investment promotion program, the digital innovation program, the green development program, the capacity building program, the cultural and people-to-people exchange program, and the peace and security program. 

Over the years, China and Liberia have worked closely to promote our friendly pragmatic cooperation with fruitful achievements in all areas to strengthen the strategic docking of the "B&R Initiative" advocated by President Xi Jinping, with the "Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development" (PAPD) advocated by President George Manneh Weah. People easily see many landmark projects in Monrovia such as the China-aided SKD Sports Complex, the Ministerial Complex, two annexes to the Capitol Building and the upgraded Roberts International Airport Terminal Project, and outside of Monrovia such as the Tappita Hospital and University of Liberia Fendall Campus. Our cooperation in the agricultural area is making steady progress as demonstrated by the Agricultural Technical Demonstration Center located in Bong County and the Bamboo and Rattan Weaving and Vegetable Planting Technical Assistance Project in Monrovia. Since last year, the Chinese government has provided four rounds of anti-epidemic materials which include many ventilators, oxygen concentrators, PPEs, masks, infrared thermometers among others. Please visit our embassy’s website (at: http://lr.china-embassy.org/eng) and check an article I have contributed to Liberian media titled The Outcome of China-Liberia Cooperation Is Widely Recognized for more details.

People-to-people exchange is one of the five important areas of B&R cooperation and education cooperation is an important platform. We are delighted to note that education cooperation between our two countries has achieved fruitful results in recent years. Over the years, the Chinese government has provided hundreds of full government scholarships and many more long-term and short-term training programs, some of which also offer degrees, to Liberian youth.

This year, the Chinese Embassy in Liberia has maintained close cooperation with the Liberian government through the Ministry of Education and relevant universities to overcome the impact of COVID-19 and continue to support your efforts on fostering of talents. I’m pleased to announce that this year, 185 students from your three universities have been awarded with Chinese Ambassador Scholarship in a total amount of 23,000 US dollars. This morning, WFP is hosting an event together with the Ministry of Education and our embassy to hand over rations aided by the Chinese government with 2 million US dollars for more than 55,000 students and their families for 2 months in Montserrado, Nimba and Maryland counties. UNICEF is also implementing a nutrition and other necessity program aided by the Chinese government with one million US dollars for pregnant women and new-born babies in 15 counties. 

Youth represent the future of a nation. Liberian young talents must give full play to their own advantages and maximize their wisdom to promote sound and rapid economic development of their country. In order to do so, you should make up your mind and work hard to learn knowledge, participate in social practice, gain experience, face difficulties squarely and adopt positive attitude towards society and life. At the same time, you are expected to continue to inherit and carry forward the brotherly bond between the peoples of China and Liberia and contribute to the friendly relations and cooperation of our two countries.

Ladies and gentlemen,

2021 is a year full of challenges. 2022 will a year full of hope. On behalf of the Chinese embassy and in my own name, we wish to extend to you and your families our season’s greetings and best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year!

Thank you all!